- Date
- February 20, 1988, 17:52 local (Feb 21, 1988, 01:52 UTC)
- Place
- Rosamond, CA
- Injuries
- 2 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N8321KPiper PA-28-161
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Status
- Completed · report December 10, 1990
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19880220002969A
- Case key
- 25810
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
Decision of the pilot to attempt multiple low level passes over a residence in an area of rising terrain. Contributing to the accident was the significant levels of methamphetamine and amphetamine found in both the pilot's blood and urine specimens. A factor in the accident was the environmental lighting conditions at the time of the accident.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The plt rented the acft with the stated intention of taking sunset photos; however, no camera was fnd in the acft after it had crashed. Witnesses at a residence near the crash site saw the acft make 2 passes over their position. They rprtd that the passes were so low they were concerned about the acft hitting the house. As the acft was heading toward the house on the 3rd pass, it collided with the crest of a hill. The acdnt occurred about 12 min after sunset. An exam of the wreckage revealed no evidence of a preimpact mechanical malfunction or failure. A toxicology check of the plt's blood showed methamphetamine & amphetamine at respective levels of 0.888 mg/l & 0.072 mg/l. a check of his urine showed a thc (marijuana metabolite) level of 269 ng/dl. His urine also tested positive for methamphetamine, amphetamine,acetaminophen & nicotine.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8321K
- Reported as
- Piper PA-28-161
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28-8316025
- Airframe hours
- 2,346
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-D3G, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Barnes Aviation
- Registered owner
- Fernandes, Keith
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · January 21, 1988 · 62 hours before
- Departed
- WJF · Lancaster, CA
- Destination
- WJF
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 29
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 558 total · 9 in this make and model · 515 as pilot in command · 1 in the last 90 days · 1 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 80 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 66 °F, dew point 21 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- WJF, 14 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.